YearToAvoid

2008 Lexus IS 350 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2008 Lexus IS 350 ranks 3rd worst among 15 model years, with a complaint index of 86 and 30 NHTSA complaints across 8 recall campaigns. Airbags are the top problem area at 33% of complaints, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other IS 350 years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
86/100
#3 of 15 IS 350 years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
30
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
8
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
6
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
2
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2011
lowest-risk (no Good/Best year)
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
18 city / 25 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2008 Lexus IS 350 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags10 (33%)
  2. Structure & Body7 (23%)
  3. Engine6 (20%)
  4. Electrical System4 (13%)
  5. Other4 (13%)
  6. Steering3 (10%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain2 (7%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers2 (7%)
  9. Brakes1 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts1 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Power steering can fail suddenly during a turn, leading to loss of control.
  • Vehicles have unexpectedly continued to accelerate after brakes were applied, resulting in a crash.
  • Brakes can lose stopping power at low speed while the engine seems to rev as if accelerating.
  • On startup the engine can rattle and shake excessively, then run rough at low speeds, a problem tied to recall 10V309000.
  • The transmission occasionally holds in a lower gear at high RPM instead of shifting up as expected.
  • The dashboard surface can turn sticky and glossy, creating glare on the windshield that owners say impairs visibility and worries them about airbag deployment.
2008 Lexus IS 350 complaints: complaints filed per month3Nov 2009Jan 2011May 2014Sep 2014Aug 2016Feb 2018May 2019
30 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2009 to May 2019; peak Aug 2014 (3).

2008 Lexus IS 350 recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V741000Oct 17, 2019Airbags928,220 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

  2. NHTSA 18V432000Jun 26, 2018Fuel System114,998 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 and GS450h, 2006-2013 Lexus IS350 and 2010-2014 Lexus IS350C vehicles, equipped with 3.5L V6 2GR-FSE gasoline engines. The diaphragms in the fuel pulsation dampers may harden over time and develop cracks, possibly causing a fuel leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery pipe with a new pipe that has improved pulsation dampers, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2018. Owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is JLF.

  3. NHTSA 17V006000Jan 9, 2017Airbags577,875 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), H0A (Toyota Zone C), GLG (Lexus Zone A), GLH (Lexus Zone B) and HLA (Lexus Zone C).

See all 8 recalls for the 2008 Lexus IS 350 →

2008 Lexus IS 350 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,000
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other IS 350 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Avoid10093821
2007Avoid9353821
2008Avoid8630820
2009No verdict433820
2010Avoid7988—

All Lexus IS 350 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Lexus IS 350 reliable?
Relative to other IS 350 years, the 2008 model has a complaint index of 86, the third worst of 15 model years, with 30 NHTSA complaints, so it is rated Avoid compared to other years of the same model.
What are the main problems with the 2008 Lexus IS 350?
NHTSA complaints point to airbags (33% of complaints), structure & body issues like dashboard melting (23%), and engine problems (20%), with a median mileage of 50,000 at failure overall.
Does the 2008 Lexus IS 350 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2008 IS 350, covering airbags, the fuel system, engine VVT units, and wiper arm nuts, though none are marked do-not-drive.
How does the 2008 IS 350 compare to other years?
The 2006 model has the highest complaint index at 100 and the 2007 model is at 93, both also rated Avoid; the 2008 model's index of 86 places it third worst among the 15 years tracked.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Lexus IS 350?
EPA rates the 2008 IS 350 at 20 mpg combined (18 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.